CRACK! Two farmers stood digging a well. What had their shovels hit?

The discovery was almost too hard to believe. Under the ground, hundreds of soldiers stood guard. But these soldiers weren’t living—or even dead. They were made of a kind of clay called terracotta.

The first emperor of China was named Qin Shi Huang. Emperor Qin (pronounced chin) believed he needed the clay warriors. They would protect him after death, he thought. He hired artists to create more than 8,000 statues. Workers placed them around his tomb. If you think $5 billion is a lot to spend on a copy of a Chinese palace, imagine how much this construction project must have cost!

The statues stand in a huge network of underground rooms. Each one has a unique face and features. As far as we know, the artists modeled them after the real army. That means when you look at the face of one of the warriors, you are looking at the image of a person who lived ages ago! Each statue weighs about 400 pounds. They measure at least six feet tall. Generals are the tallest.

Emperor Qin wanted to keep his burial place secret. And he did—for more than 2,000 years! But then the farmers discovered it in 1974. In March of 2015, excavators went digging again. They uncovered Pit 2. That pit holds another set of terracotta warriors, complete with chariots.

Just think about how worried Emperor Qin must have been. He thought spiritual enemies would attack him when he died! For centuries, people have felt anxious about what happens after death. Clay statues can’t save anyone, but Jesus forgives sins through His blood. If you trust in Him, you don’t have to fear death. When you meet Him, He will know you. He’ll welcome you home. It doesn’t get any safer than that!

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” —Isaiah 43:1